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Bombers bring swagger back to Winnipeg

Last-place Argos face a resurgent football team that was in a similar position just a year ago

By Chris ZelkovichSports Reporter

Fri., Sept. 23, 2011

When the Argonauts meet the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on the Rogers Centre’s shag carpet Saturday night, they could be looking into a mirror.

Or so they wish.

That’s because the Bombers, who hold down first-place in the Canadian Football League’s East Division with the league’s best record, were in the exact same position last year that the Argos find themselves in now.

The Argos have made a habit of losing close games in fashioning a dismal 2-9 record, which is basically what the Bombers did last year en route to a 4-14 finish.

And look at where the Bombers are now.

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Not only have they won eight of their first 11 games, they’re setting attendance records as they prepare to head into a new stadium next season. The Bombers have become so popular that they’ve sold out their last two games—even adding an extra 500 temporary seats to meet the demand.

Their next game will likely be a sellout—with 500 extra seats—and they expect to continue that streak right into the playoffs.

There’s a palpable excitement in a city known more for mosquitoes and icy winds than fun. Inspired by the football team, the city has redubbed itself Swaggerville.

Yes, Winnipeg has a swagger in its step.

“It’s an exciting city right now with everything that’s going on,” said veteran defensive tackle Doug Brown, who has been through the best and worst of times in Winnipeg. “You couldn’t have picked a better time for the resurgence of this football team.”

In many ways, it’s been a perfect Prairie storm.

A resurgent football team, the lure of a new stadium, the long-awaited return of the National Hockey League’s Winnipeg Jets and a booming economy all have combined to create a buzz the city hasn’t experienced in some time.

The Bombers sold a record 21,000 season tickets this season, possibly because fans believed the team was ready to turn the corner, but more likely because they wanted first dibs on the new stadium at the University of Manitoba.

“The fans had some hope,” said team president Jim Bell. “When we came out of the gate with some success, things snowballed from there.”

What’s more amazing is that the rebirth of the Jets seems to have had a positive effect on football ticket sales. When the hockey team sold out its season tickets in record time, the Bombers suddenly found themselves with an extra 3,000 season ticket holders.

Some theorize fans figured that with hockey sold out, the Bombers were the only way they could get their pro sports fix. Others believe it’s one of those rising-tide-raises-all-boats things.

Put Bell in the latter camp.

“When the announcement was imminent about the return of NHL to Winnipeg, there was a synergy about that,” he said. “We felt that the excitement in our city was rising in so many areas, everybody gets caught up in it.The community feels good about itself. The return of the NHL was a shot in the arm for us.”

The Bombers have played their part perfectly, rising from bottom feeder to top dog in a matter of months. They’ve done it with basically the same cast that ended the 2010 season, which may be a big reason for the revival.

Brown talked about how this Winnipeg team showed a rare patience in the off-season.

“A young team was allowed to grow together and improve together,” he said. “They build off those experiences and become a better and stronger team.”

Argos quarterback Steven Jyles, who started 10 games with the Bombers last year, says he’s not surprised by the team’s resurgence and believes the Argos can take inspiration from what the Bombers have accomplished.

“They just couldn’t find a way to win the close games last year,” he said. “Just like the team in Winnipeg last year, I believe in this team.”

Bomber quarterback Buck Pierce says the big difference is that last year’s team has crossed the line between finding ways to lose and knowing it’s going to win.

“When we’re in a close game, we feel we’re going to win,” he said. “That’s a good feeling.”

But, as the Argos have discovered, success can be fleeting. This year’s winner can be next year’s cellar dweller.

With the Jets in town fighting for the entertainment dollar, a bad year could spell trouble for the Bombers, especially once their new home loses that new-stadium smell. Bell doesn’t think so, certainly not while Manitoba’s economy is booming.

“I believe . . . that because there is a very high of passion for the football club, people will support this team through thick and thin,” he said. “We haven’t won a Grey Cup in 20 years, so the loyalty speaks for itself.”

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